Short Hair
by clouds of nothing
Summary: He'd always noticed that she was gorgeous, and there was no way short hair could make her ugly, no matter what she said. ::ChaseLola:: ::oneshot::


**Disclaimer: If I owned Zoey 101, there would be a fifth season. And there's not, so I guess I don't own it.**

**Warning: This is all dialogue until near the end. I purposely made it that way; it isn't an accident. But if you don't like reading big chunks of dialogue, I wouldn't recommend reading this.**

"Come on, Lola!"

"No. I like to look good when I'm in public, you know. And I look ridiculous right now. There's no way in hell I'm going out there."

"You look fine, Lola. Honestly. I wouldn't be asking you to walk out here if you didn't."

"Okay, no offense, Chase, but you're a _guy_. Guys have no sense of style. Besides, you only got to see me for about one second before I ducked in here and locked the door."

"Yeah, and what I saw in that one second looked fine."

"Are you kidding me? My hair is chopped to my chin, thanks to stupid Dustin accidentally getting bubble gum stuck in it! I've never looked good with short hair. Never."

"What about when you first came to PCA? You wore that white wig, and it was short. You didn't look super-gorgeous, sure, but no one ran screaming from you."

"That was a wig. It was fine. I look okay with short-haired wigs, but not with my real hair short."

"Have you even had your real hair cut short before? I've seen all your school pictures, and you have long hair in all of them."

"Yes! Two times. Once in fourth grade, and once in seventh grade. I looked hideous both times in all the family photos we have. And the reason I have long hair in my pictures is in fourth grade, I got my hair cut right after we took the fall pictures, which are the ones that go in the yearbooks you saw. So it was grown out by fifth grade. And in seventh grade, have you noticed how the background of my picture is lighter than the background of everyone else's picture?"

"Yeah… so what? You just chose a different background than all of the massively boring and unoriginal people at your school, right?"

"Ha. I wish. No, they put my spring picture in the yearbook, because I had short hair in my fall picture and when everyone saw my picture, they made fun of me for a month. That's why the background's lighter. Spring means lighter, happier colors than fall."

"You made them put your spring picture in the yearbook just because you looked a little silly with short hair? That's pretty vain, Lola."

"Well, it wasn't just my hair. I coughed right when the flash went off, so I'm making this horrible grimacing face and covering my mouth with my hands. I look like I'm throwing up or hacking up a hairball or something."

"Okay, now I really want to see this photo. You must have a copy of it somewhere, even though it's not in the yearbook."

"Hell no! Chase, you are not seeing that picture if it's the last thing I do. It's the worst picture I've ever taken. Do you really think I'd let you see it?"

"Yes, because I'm your best guy friend. And one of your best friends when you count both guys and girls."

"Okay, that may be true, but you still can't see it!"

"Have Quinn and Zoey seen it?"

"Well… um, maybe…"

"So why can't I? Aren't I as good a friend to you as they are?"

"Ugh! God, Chase, can't you just leave me alone about the stupid picture?"

"No, especially now that I know you've shown it to Zoey and Quinn. You like them better than me, don't you?"

"You're really annoying sometimes, you know that?"

"Answer the question."

"All right, all right! I'll answer your question. I like you just as much as them, but they're girls, you know? It's easier to talk about stuff like bad haircuts with girls than with the guy you… never mind."

"What? The guy you what?"

"It's nothing, Chase. Drop it."

"I refuse to drop it. Tell me."

"Nothing, Chase. Get it through your head. Nothing. Come on, say it with me: _nothing_."

"If it's nothing, you wouldn't mind letting me know what it is."

"Remind me again why I hang out with you, because all I can think of right now is the fact that you're bugging me like crazy."

"I bet Quinn and Zoey know. I could ask them. Zoey owes me from back when we were dating. I'm the one that told her about Amanda Grosinne copying off her science tests."

"Zoey wouldn't tell you, no matter how much she owes you. That's how keeping a secret for a friend works: you don't tell, no matter what. Besides, you guys broke up. That shouldn't be valid anymore."

"It's valid, all right. But back to the main topic: come out of there! Do you realize the looks I'm getting from people? They think I'm talking to a janitor's closet!"

"And you just made me really want to stay in here by confirming there's people wandering around. I think I'll stick with the mops, thank you very much."

"You have to come out of there sometime, you know. You've got classes."

"Okay, how about this: if someone finds me a really cute hat to wear that I look awesome in and gives it to me, I'll leave. But only then."

"Lola…"

"I'm serious, Chase! I look so ugly. It's a good thing Vince and I aren't together anymore, or he'd dump me the second he saw my new haircut."

"Lola, I'm sure you look beautiful. You always do."

"Really? You really think that I always look beautiful?"

"Well, yeah. You're really pretty. And also, even if you really did look bad with short hair- which I'm sure you don't- Vince would be an idiot for dumping you when you're so great."

"Great? Well, I have to agree with you there."

"You just lowered your greatness rating by being stuck-up, I hope you realize."

"Joking, joking! I was going to say I was joking before you started talking."

"Okay, then, it just went back up."

"Should I be throwing confetti around? I wonder if there's any in here..."

"Confetti? Um, no, Lola, I don't think the janitor keeps confetti in his supply closet."

"You never know. Now, it's not like I'm fishing for compliments or anything… but what exactly do you think makes me so great?"

"Um, well, you're pretty, like I mentioned. And you're nice to people. You're really sweet, and you make everything more fun. And hanging out with you is one of my favorite things to do because I like you so much."

"I… Chase, everything you just said… I think that may be the nicest things anyone's ever said about me. Usually, people say that I'm nice but kind of an airhead, and selfish."

"You're not an airhead. I mean, sure, you have some airhead-like tendencies-"

"Hey!"

"-But you're smart in your own way. Same for the selfish thing. You share, in your own way. Now will you please come out?"

It was silent except our breath. After a long period of quietness, Lola said slowly and softly, so uncharacteristic for her, "Hey, Chase?"

"What?"

"You still want to know what it was I was gonna say earlier? You know, when I said it was nothing?"

"Yeah, sure."

"I was going to say… I was going to…"

I'd never heard Lola sound so unsure of herself. Normally, she was happy and confident.

"What, Lola?"

The door suddenly swung open, and there stood Lola. Her dark brown hair had been cut to her chin, her bangs still hanging above one eye. I tried to look at her hair and see if it really made her look as bad as she'd claimed, but I could only focus on her wide eyes, which were trained on mine. Had her eyes always sparkled like that? Had they always been that distractingly beautiful?

For that matter, had she always been that pretty overall? I was finally able to concentrate on her entire face instead of just her eyes, and she had never looked more gorgeous. Her haircut didn't make her ugly- rather, it intensified her beauty. I'd always known that Lola was beautiful, of course- even when I was dating Zoey and I didn't notice any other girls, Lola had always caught my attention just as much as Zoey had. Some days, even more, though I had written that off to not getting enough sleep.

Now, however, I could really see her clearly. I saw her shimmering eyes, looking straight into mine. I saw her shiny, thick hair. I saw her full, smooth lips, which looked like the softest lips in the world all of the sudden. All stuff I'd noticed before, but never this clearly.

Mentally, I tried to clear my brain. This was Lola. I'd always scolded myself for noticing her like this during the years I'd known her, and now that I really saw it, I should have been ignoring it and telling myself I was just sick. There was no way that I liked her, you know, like that.

Lola took a deep breath. "I was going to say… that it's easier to talk about bad haircuts with girls than with the boy you… you…"

"Lola, just tell me. I promise I won't laugh or make fun of you or anything for whatever it is."

Lola bit her lip and looked away for a second, and then her eyes returned to mine and stared at me intensely as she grabbed my wrist with her hand. A shiver ran down my spine, though I had no idea why. "Than with the boy you have a huge crush on and might even love."

What? Did she… did she say love? Lola though she might love me? My mind whirred as I tried to process it, but it was hard, because all I was aware of was the shiver, which had gotten even stronger, and the sudden, surprising urge to shout in celebration. But why would I be celebrating? I didn't like Lola like that. This should have been a horrible thing that could ruin our friendship.

I was just standing there, dumbstruck, like a total idiot. Lola released my wrist and carefully searched my face for signs of a response, but I stayed completely frozen as I tried to figure out why I would want to celebrate.

And after telling myself again and again that it wasn't because I liked Lola, I gave up and realized the truth. I had a crush on her her. And maybe, in the back of my mind, I had always known I had. I refused to accept it for years. But why else would I have always noticed her beauty, even when I didn't see anyone else's beside Zoey's? And why else would I have always loved spending time with her? I had picked hanging out with Lola over hanging out with the guys or with Zoey (back when we were dating) a lot of the time.

I liked Lola Martinez. I maybe even loved her.

And though that thought should have surprised me, it felt right. Like it fit perfectly.

Lola's shoulders slumped forward, and she looked away from me. "I'm sorry, Chase. I shouldn't have told you. I just thought that, well, we spend so much time together. I thought maybe you liked me back. But it's totally cool that you don't. Let's just forget we had this conversation and go back to normal, okay?"

She straightened back up and glanced back over at me, plastering a big smile on her face. "So hey, you know what I still really want to do? See if I can make a pickle fry, like I did that one time last year. Remember, I told you about it. Anyway, want to go try it out?" And even though she mostly looked happy, I could see the sadness in her eyes.

I still stood like a statue, trying to figure how to tell her that I liked her back. But I couldn't think of anything.

Lola's eyes darkened with worry. "Chase? Do you hate me now? I can understand if you feel awkward or something and you never want to see me again or you-"

And then I just kissed her. An amazing, electrifying kiss. The type that I'd never had with Zoey. And even though she was standing on the threshold of a janitor's closet and I probably should have smelled cleaning supplies, all I could smell was the strawberry shampoo in her short hair.

After we broke apart, Lola had the hugest grin on her face. I leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Contrary to what you may believe, you look just as beautiful with your hair cut short. In fact, I think that you should stick with short hair. It looks perfect on you."

Then I leaned in to kiss her again.

**A/N: Well, there you have it. My late Valentine's Day oneshot. **

**And my second Chola story! I'm obsessed with this couple lately, actually. I've been wanting to write them again. So here it is. And even though I still feel more comfortable writing angst than fluff, I can't really write an angsty Valentine's Day story. That doesn't really fit in with the holiday. But I actually think this is pretty cute, so I like it.**

**Pretty please review, with a cherry on top? Or some other type of food if cherries aren't your thing.**

**-CL**


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